


burn him

by feychella



Series: pure entropy [3]
Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Burns, Gen, Mind Control
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-29
Updated: 2020-07-29
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:47:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25531585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/feychella/pseuds/feychella
Summary: Fitzroy learns what happens to traitors.
Relationships: Argo Keene & Sir Fitzroy Maplecourt, Chaos & Sir Fitzroy Maplecourt
Series: pure entropy [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1848211
Comments: 1
Kudos: 14





	burn him

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading!

Fitzroy stares horrified at Argo’s frozen form in the center of the throne room. Chaos lounges on their plush sofa, kicking their feet up and watching his every move. It wasn’t unusual for him to be transported here, to his own wild magic training arena, but this time was...different. This time he’d brought his own training dummy. He shivers as Chaos gets up, robes shifting with their form, and clicks over to him. Their mother-of-pearl hair spills off their shoulders and they braid it back, fluorescent colors glowing in the dark of the room. A crown of glimmering golden leaves is wreathed around their head and Fitzroy tears his eyes away.

“How do you _feel?_ ” Chaos purrs over his shoulder. They walk delicately around him, then towards Argo. Fitzroy stiffens as they run their hands over his partner’s shoulders, like a coveted statue. Chaos turns their gaze back to Fitzroy and they flip their hair over their shoulder, smiling encouragingly. He isn't sure why, but he likes it when Chaos smiles at him. The thought of making Chaos proud makes him feel-

“Angry.”

“And?”

“Uh...sad.” His mind is scattered, racing with thoughts. Should he be here? Why did he bring Argo? When Chaos’ fingers dig into his arm, the thoughts are silenced. It was alright. Chaos was here for him. He didn’t need to be sad anymore. Chaos could fix it all. Everything was _okay._

“Anything else?”

“Betrayed.”

He shuts his eyes as the word bursts into the stillness of the room. Why is Chaos doing this to him? What had he done wrong? Why did he even bring Argo here? They brush their hands over his arm and his inquisitiveness is quelled. No. It was okay. Chaos wouldn’t let him fall into trouble. They cared about him...more than….more than Argo did...

Chaos clicks their tongue and walks back towards the sofa, up on a slightly raised dais. They swing their legs over the headrest and rest their head on their hand. Fitzroy tears his gaze away from Argo’s figure and looks up at Chaos. _So?_ Their eyes challenge him. He hates being challenged. His hands ball up into fists and he looks around for something to hit. There’s only Argo, and he can’t hurt Argo, because-

“Remind me, Fitzroy, what happens to traitors?”

“They…”

“What do they _deserve?_ ”

He wrestles with his mind, trying to shape it back into his own. “They deserve…” _A second chance._ The words are on the tip of his tongue and he looks helplessly back at Argo. Chaos tilts their head and makes a quick motion with their fingers. “They deserve to burn.” He closes his mouth, horrified, and watches a languid smile spread over Chaos’ face. They sit on their frozen throne and cock their head at him. _Come on, now._

“ _Very_ good, Fitzroy. Now, shall we get to the lesson?” They snap their fingers and Argo is unfrozen, falling forwards onto the floor, arms and legs splayed out. He totters around for a moment, before seeing Fitzroy, silhouetted against the sofa, backed with spikes of ice. Fitz forces himself to confront Argo's navy eyes. They hold a mixture of emotions - hurt, betrayal, a deep sadness that tugs on Fitz's heart momentarily. Maybe another time, another world away, they wouldn't be in this situation. He shakes the doubt away. Chaos was here with him. He'd be okay.

“Fitzroy…?”

“Get up.”

Fitzroy resists the urge to kick him as Argo struggles to his feet. His mind is screaming with anger. _How could he do this to me?_ He had thought Argo was his friend. Who could he trust, anyway? _You can only trust me, Fitzroy._ Chaos makes a sound of disapproval and sits back in their chair, obviously bored. Fitzroy's heart sinks. _Ask him,_ their voice says in his mind. He tries to shake them away, and it doesn’t work, because it never works, because his mind is not his own and-

“Was everything you said to me...was it all lies?”

“No, I-”

“Why should I believe you?” 

“Because I _love_ you.”

The words hang in the air between them and Argo stands there, wide-eyed and slaps his hands over his mouth. _He loves me?_ His own mental voice is silenced by Chaos roaring with laughter. _Idiot…_ No. Argo doesn’t love him. It's a lie. Fitzroy looks uncertainly at Chaos, hands idle at his side.

“I’m not going to fall for any more lies.”

“It’s not a lie.” Argo's voice is quiet, eyes filling with tears. Fitzroy feels tears prick at his own eyes and he brushs them away, roughly, too roughly-

“Enough.” Chaos gets to their feet. “Tell him what happens to traitors, Fitzroy.”

Fitz stares between Chaos and Argo, mind fumbling with the new information, reeling from Argo’s confession. Chaos growls under their breath and stalks towards him, clenching their fist. Lightning crackles out and Argo cries out, magic bursting over his skin. Fitzroy winces as Argo’s voice breaks. He starts making horrible, soundless, screams and Fitz turns away again. His hands raise - chromatic orb springs into his mind - and he starts casting without thinking. Chaos' grip on his mind tightens and a sharp pain arcs behind his eyes.

“What does he deserve?” Their voice is low, threatening, almost.

“He deserves to burn.” His heart sinks in his chest when he hears his own voice, tinny and far away, answer Chaos. _No, I didn't mean that._

“Then..." Chaos, giddy with excitement, steps delicately around Argo's crumpled body. "Burn him.”

“Fitzroy, no, _please…_ ” Argo crawls towards him. The smell of burnt flesh nearly causes Fitzroy to pass out. He looks at the genasi underneath him and this time, he kicks him away. Argo yelps in agony and Chaos laughs again. Fitzroy listens for a moment. He could almost hear himself laughing along with them. Argo stares up at him, mouth open, he's saying something...he's saying... _I love you._ The words form in Fitzroy's mind and he makes a sound of disgust, turning away from his partner.

And then his mind clears and he’s himself again. Fitz looks helplessly at Argo’s form and his breath starts coming faster and faster. Waving his hand, he teleports Argo away and shuts his eyes as Chaos howls with rage. They shoot up from their self-made throne and slap Fitzroy clean across the face. He stumbles backward, face stinging from the blow, refusing to let himself cry. _Fool. You’ve failed me._ He could be powerful. He didn’t _need_ Chaos. His magic was his own. He would not be a conduit for this reckless violence. Chaos did not control him, except, except-

Three versions of himself burst into existence. Chaos gives him a wicked grin and sways back over to their sofa, a drink _poofing_ into their hand. _You know what happens now, don’t you?_ Fitzroy stumbles backward and watches the middle version of himself raise his hands. His eyes are vacant, lightning sparking in his palms. The ball of thunder slams into him and Fitzroy flies backward, slumping to the ground against the stone wall. The left-Fitzroy morphs into Argo, but this version of Argo draws his sword and without hesitating, slashes across Fitzroy’s right arm. The cut is deep and he slams his hand onto it, trying to tie his cloak around the bleeding wound. He gasps and blasts the Not-Argo away, incinerating him on the spot. He squeezes his eyes shut as Argo's agonized yells flood back into his mind. He spares a glance at Chaos; they raise their drink mockingly at him, taking a sip. There would be no help from them. This was his fault. He would face the consequences. The middle-Fitzroy fizzles out, and the last version of himself morphs into his mother. Her hands on her hips and her lips are twisted. She looks...angry. His vision blurs and he reaches out towards her, blind.

“Ma?”

“You’ve failed me, Fitzroy.”

_"Ma…”_

Not-Dendra looms over him, sparks flying from her fingers. When she cups his face, he leans into her hand instinctively. Her smile lights up her whole face and he clutches at her wrist, searching her eyes. This couldn't be his mother, but she was so _real,_ and-

Her fingers become red-hot and she slides her hand down, leaving burn marks streaking his neck. Not-Dendra grips his face with both hands and Fitzroy screams in a broken voice, vision going white. Tears run down his face and she gets up, heels clicking away across the floor. She shakes her head, disappointed, before bursting into red smoke. He hugs his knees to his chest and lets out a hoarse sob. Chaos grabs the collar of his shirt - it rubs against his fresh burns - and throws him across the room. He lands in a heap by the sofa and scrambles backward, arms betraying him. He clatters to the floor as Chaos approaches and he silently braces himself for whatever comes next.

He whimpers as Chaos’ alabaster fingers roughly prod him. Coldness seeps into the wounds and he stares through a haze of tears as his skin starts to reform and heal. Fitz looks up into their eyes and they smile gently at him. _You understand, of course._ Chaos hums with disapproval as they crouch down to his level. Fitzroy forces himself to meet their smoldering gaze. Hate bubbles up in his chest as they run their fingers under his chin. Almost as if they can read his thoughts, they tilt their head and narrow their eyes. Fitz glares at them, still gasping for air, trying to keep his dignity. Chaos glances at him over their shoulder and smiles.

“Class dismissed.”


End file.
